Father Richard C. Messina, an East Boston native who grew up in Medford, died after the lingering illness at his home in Wells, Maine on Oct. 12. He had celebrated his 78th birthday on July 16. Born in the Hub, he was the son of the late Joseph and Mary (Gibelli) Messina and brother of Theresa Luca of Medford.
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A few years ago, he sent a letter with some "instructions" about his funeral and specifically his obituary. The key point was "keep it short and sweet." Father John L. Mansfield died at Regina Cleri Residence in Boston's West End on Sept. 17, 2017.
Read moreMsgr. Joseph T. Alves (Oct. 17) in Boston. Funeral Mass celebrated Oct. 24 at Saint Agatha, Milton. Ordained on Sept. 29, 1953, Msgr. Alves was the oldest priest of the archdiocese having celebrated his 96th birthday on Oct. 4. His obituary will be in the next issue of The Pilot, Oct. 27, 2017.
Sister Mary Colman (Jacqueline) O'Dell, OCSO (Oct. 15) in Wrentham. Funeral Mass celebrated Oct. 23 at Saint Mary Abbey Church, Wrentham for the daughter of the late Edmond and Lily (Smith) O'Dell. During 56 years of religious life, Sister served in assignments of the Cistercian Nuns in Wrentham. Sister Mary Colman was buried in Saint Mary Abbey Cemetery, Wrentham.
Sister Ida (Marie Armand) Perry, SSCh. (Oct. 9) in Framingham. Funeral Mass celebrated Oct. 16 at Saint Chretienne Convent Chapel, Marlborough. During 70 years of religious life, Sister served in congregational assignments in Quebec; R.I.; and locally at Sisters of Saint Chretienne Convents, Wrentham and Marlborough. Sister Isa was buried in Saint Mary Cemetery, Marlborough.
Virginia M. Mara (Oct. 12) of Roslindale. Funeral Mass celebrated Oct. 18 at Saint John Chrysostom Church, West Roxbury for the sister of Joan, Milton and late Father Francis E. Mara. Ms. Mara was buried in Forest Hills Cemetery, Forest Hills.
Marguerite (O'Leary) Moroney (Oct. 15) in Worcester. Funeral Mass celebrated Oct. 19 at Saint Paul Cathedral, Worcester for the mother of Msgr. James P. Moroney, rector, Saint John's Seminary, Brighton and Deborah Ann Galanos, North Brookfield. Mrs. Moroney was buried in Saint John Cemetery, Worcester.
Katherine (Johnson) O'Hare (Oct. 11) in Winchester. Funeral Mass celebrated Oct. 17 at Saint Eulalia Church, Winchester for the mother of Kathleen, Jupiter, Fla.; Harry, Belmont; Maureen Mercer, Salem; Eileen, Beacon, N.Y.; and Richard, New Canaan Conn. and sister of the late Father Richard G. Johnson. Mrs. O'Hare was buried in Wildwood Cemetery, Winchester.
Father Robert S. Maloney, SX (Oct. 4) in Haverhill. Funeral Mass celebrated Oct. 12 at Saint Lucy Church, Methuen for the son of the late Daniel and Annie (Mills) Maloney. During 60 years of priestly ministry in the Xaverian Missionary Society, Father served in congregational assignments in Italy; Pakistan; Calif.; N.J.; Wisc.; and locally at Our Lady of Fatima Shrine, Holliston. Father Maloney was buried in Immaculate Conception Cemetery, Lawrence.
Father James B. MacGee, OMI (Oct. 10) in Tewksbury. Funeral Mass celebrated Oct. 17 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Residence Chapel, Tewksbury for the son of the late Albert and Alice (Oddie) MacGee. During 60 years of priestly ministry in the Missionary Oblates of the Mary Immaculate, Father served in assignments in Italy; Japan; British Columbia; Washington, D.C.; Fla.; Maine; N.Y.; Va.; West Va.; and locally at Oblate Novitiate, Ipswich and Immaculate Heart of Mary Residence, Tewksbury. Father MacGee was buried in the Oblate Cemetery, Tewksbury.
Brother Raymond E. Hoyt, CFX (Oct. 9) in Danvers. Funeral Mass celebrated Oct. 14 at Saint Timothy Church, Norwood for the son of Raymond, Roslindale and the late Frances (Robar) Hoyt; and brother of Elaine Moses, Roslindale; Russell, Walpole; Randall, Hudson; and Robert, Concord. During 46 years of religious life, he served in congregational assignments in Conn.; Ky.; So. Car.; Shrewsbury; and locally at Xaverian Brothers High School, Westwood. Brother Raymond was buried in the Xaverian Cemetery, Danvers.
Sister Gertrude (Marie Donat) Girardin, SSCh (Oct. 5) in Marlborough. Funeral Mass celebrated Oct. 10 at Saint Chretienne Chapel, Marlborough for the daughter of the late Donat and Victoria (Leblond) Girardin; and sister of Sister Jeanne Girardin, SSCh, Marlborough; and Rachel, Bristol, Conn. During 70 years of religious life, Sister served in congregational assignments in Alberta; Quebec; R.I.; and locally at Saint Chretienne Retirement Center, Marlborough. Sister Gertrude was buried in Saint Mary Cemetery, Marlborough.
Sister Gertrude Mary of Saint Patrick (Florence) McIlmail, LSP (Oct. 8) in Somerville. Funeral Mass celebrated Oct. 12 at Jeanne Jugan Residence Chapel, Somerville for the daughter of the late Leroy and Ethel (Carter) McIlmail; and sister of Francis; Rochester, Minn.; Mary LaPlante; Veronica Newcombe; and Catherine Robichaud, all of Pawtucket, R.I.; Angela Fascitelli, Cumberland, R.I.; and Martha Chartier, Colonial Heights, Va. During 54 years of religious life, Sister served in various congregational assignments and locally at Jeanne Jugan Residence, Somerville. Sister Gertrude Mary of Saint Patrick was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery, Malden.
Joan M. Crowley (Sept. 30) Funeral Mass celebrated Oct. 6 at Saint Raphael Church, Medford the daughter of the late Patrick and Johanna (Hourihan) Crowley. Ms. Crowley was for many years a staff member of The Pilot and also worked for the Archdiocesan Office of the Propagation of the Faith, Boston. Ms. Crowley was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery, Malden.
Ellen K. (Connolly) Douglas (Oct. 4) in Greenwich, Conn. Funeral Mass celebrated Oct. 6 at Sacred Heart Church, Greenwich for the wife of Karl, Greenwich, Conn. and mother of Laura, also of Greenwich; and sister of Father Charles B. Connolly, SJ, Loyola House, Boston; and Mrs. Denise Roach, Westford. Committal service was private.
Charles L. Hanafin (Oct. 1) in Burlington. Funeral Mass celebrated Oct. 6 at Saint Margaret of Antioch Church, Burlington for the husband of Rose (McGillicuddy) Hanafin; father of Deacon Charles Hanfin; Rosemary Farrow; John; James; Gerard; Diane Reale; Christine Scola; Kathleen Coluci; David; and Daniel, all of Burlington; and Jean Armano, Methuen; and brother of William, Roslindale; Helen Dignan, Burlington; and Catherine Provost, Nashua, N.H. Mr. Hanafin was buried in Chestnut Hill Cemetery, Burlington.
Sister Georgianna Mary (Mary) Barry SCNJ (Sept. 27) in Convent Station, N.J. Funeral Mass celebrated Oct. 3 at Florham Park Villa Chapel, Florham Park, N.J. for the daughter of the late Lawrence and Abbie (MacNeil) Barry. During 78 years of religious life, Sister served in congregational assignments in United States Virgin Islands; N.J.; and locally at Immaculate Conception, Salem; Saint John and Saint Joseph, Roxbury; and Saint Ann, Quincy. Sister Georgianna Mary was buried in Holy Family Cemetery, Convent Station, N.J.
Sister Mary Fidelis Regan, O Carm. (Sept. 28) Funeral Mass celebrated Oct. 2 at Holy Family Chapel, Saint Patrick Manor, Framingham for the daughter of the late Charles and Catherine (Ahearn) Regan. During 65 years of religious life, Sister served in congregational assignments of the Carmelite Sisters of the Aged and Infirm, and most recently at Saint Patrick Manor, Framingham. Sister Mary Fidelis was buried in Queen of Carmel Cemetery, Germantown, N.Y.
Walter F. Keymont (Sept. 29) in Dennis. Funeral Mass celebrated Oct. 3 at Saint Joseph, Kingston for the husband of Alice (Pritchard) Keymont and father of Father Walter Keymont, Saint Joseph, Kingston and John, Woburn. Mr. Keymont was buried in Saint Joseph Cemetery, Kingston.
Father Kenneth G. Loftus, SJ (Sept. 18) in Weston. Funeral Mass celebrated Sept. 26 at Holy Spirit Chapel, Weston for the son of the late Kenneth and Joanne (Murphy) Loftus; and brother of John, Salem, N.H.; Thomas, Newton; Father Robert Loftus, Leicester; Michael, Clifton Park, N.Y.; Timothy, Scituate; Richard, Holden; Anne Demerjian, Cary, N. Car.; Kathryn Slattery, Orchard Beach, Maine; and Joanna, Worcester. During 26 years of priestly ministry, Father served in assignments of Jesuit Province Northeast in Penn.; and locally at Campion Renewal Center, Weston; Arrupe House, Jamaica Plain; and Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Newton. Father Loftus was buried in the Jesuit Cemetery, Weston.
Father Austin Nagle, SSCC (Sept. 20) in New Bedford. Funeral Mass celebrated Sept. 23 at Saint Joseph, Fairhaven for the son of the late James and Anna (Brennan) Nagle; brother of Margaret Grealish and Joseph Nagle. During 63 years of priestly ministry in the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary, Father served in congregational assignments in Ireland; Calif.; Fairhaven; Mattapoisett; Wellfleet, Achusnet; Bourne; and locally at Our Lady of Sorrow Convent and Saint Joseph Manor, both in Brockton. Father Nagle was buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Fairhaven.
Sister Mary Bonaventure (Mildred) MacDonald, OSF (Sept. 24) in Olean, N.Y. Funeral Mass celebrated Sept. 27 at Saint Elizabeth Motherhouse Chapel, Saint Bonaventure, N.Y. for the daughter of the late Elmer and Sarah (Boyd) MacDonald. During 70 years of religious life, Sister served in congregational assignments in Fla.; Miss.; N.J.; N.Y.; and locally at Saint Anthony of Padua, Everett and Saint Joseph, Medford. Sister Mary Bonaventure was buried in Saint Bonaventure Cemetery, Saint Bonaventure, N.Y.
Sister Agnes Clare (Phyllis) Buckley, SP (Sept. 23) in Boston. Funeral Mass celebrated Sept. 29 at Saint Mary of the Assumption, Revere for the daughter of the late James and Agnes (Enos) Buckley; and sister of James, Wilmington; and Catherine, Wakefield. During 61 years of religious life, Sister served in congregational assignments in Ill.; Md.; and locally at Sacred Hearts, Malden and Saint Rose of Lima, Chelsea. Sister Agnes Clare was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery, Malden.
Father Richard D. Bertrand, SJ (Sept. 11) in Weston. Funeral Mass celebrated Sept. 19 at Sacred Heart, Portland, Maine; and Memorial Mass celebrated, Sept. 20 at Holy Spirit Chapel, Weston, for the son of the late Lucien and Gertrude (Archambault) Bertrand and brother of Susan Tourigny, Biddeford, Maine. During 37 years of priestly ministry, Father served in congregational assignments of the Northeast Province of the Jesuits in Conn.; Maine; Fall River and locally at Boston College High School. Father Bertrand was buried in the Jesuit Cemetery, Weston.
Father Thomas Halkovic, CSC (Sept. 9) in North Easton. Funeral Mass celebrated Sept. 19 at Chapel of Mary, Stonehill College, North Easton for the son of the late Joseph and Anna (Vargo) Halkovic and brother of Patricia Mesnik, Saint Augustine, Fla.; Michael, Bridgeport, Conn.; and Joseph, La. During 46 years of priestly ministry, Father served in various assignments of the Holy Cross Fathers and Brothers in Conn.; Ind.; and locally at Stonehill College, North Easton. Father Halkovic was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery, North Easton.
Sister Claire (Mother Annunciation) Lebreaux, RJM (Sept. 13) in Wellesley. Funeral Mass celebrated Sept. 18 at Mount Saint Vincent Chapel, Wellesley for the daughter of the late Wilfred and Flora (Morel) Lebreaux and sister of Sister Florence Lebreaux, RJM. During 73 years of religious life, Sister served in congregational assignments in Calif.; N.H.; N.Y.; and Fall River. Sister Claire was buried in Saint Jean Baptist Cemetery, Bellingham.
Sister Esther (Mary Aloysius) Reid, SMSM (Sept. 8) in Wellesley. Funeral Mass celebrated Sept. 14 at Marist Convent, Waltham for the daughter of the late Dennis and Ellen (Cleghorn) Reid. During 71 years of religious life, Sister served in congregational assignments in Jamaica; Hawaii; N.Y.; and locally at Bedford, Belmont and Waltham. Sister Esther was buried in Saint Patrick Cemetery, Watertown.
John W. Welch (Sept. 15) in Norwood. Funeral Mass celebrated Sept. 21 at Sacred Heart, Newton for the father of Kathleen Robichaud, Waltham; James, Franklin; John, Norwood; and brother of Sister Marilyn Welch, SC, Wellesley. Mr. Welch was buried in Saint Joseph Cemetery, West Roxbury.